To say that Mike Shanahan's decision to bench Donovan McNabb for Rex Grossman before the Redskins' final drive of their 37-25 loss to the Detroit Lions was misguided is like saying Albert Haynesworth had "misgivings" about the 3-4 defense before the season. For a head coach that has had so much success in this league, it was downright shocking. I honestly can't remember seeing a worse decision by a head coach with that good of a reputation.
I might be overreacting, but how else can you react to a coach benching his starting quarterback like that? There's really no upside to the move. Either Grossman fails, which happened, and McNabb's upset, or Grossman succeeds and you suddenly have a quarterback controversy going forward. Shanahan's stated explanation -- that Grossman is more familiar with the terminology -- makes absolutely no sense. It's one thing to know the terminology, it's another thing to execute it. How Shanahan didn't understand that is beyond me.
Regardless, this was the kind of decision that everyone knew was not smart the minute it happened. These real-time Twitter reactions below the jump pretty much tell the whole story.
Why, yes, putting a bad qb in with no prep time is a fine idea. Why do u ask?
Who knew Mike Shanahan was going to dress up as Jim Zorn for Halloween. #Redskins
Well, that worked well.
There are so many coaching fails this week I don't know where to begin.
Unbelievable. Worst move ever.
McNabb is thinking, "I could have done that."
Someone with the Redskins PR department is quickly making up a Donovan McNabb injury.
Bet McNabb is itching to sign an extension with Skins now
I was wearing a Redskins uniform for Halloween too, that doesn't mean I should be put in for the 2 minute offense..
I think I'm going to go outside now and work on my car.
Well. No show prep needed this week.
Snyder's calling Bill Cowher now, right?
And the one that really summed it all up:
i can't believe everything that just happened in the last 60 seconds.